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(No Model.) 8 4 SheetsSheet 1. J. H. PENDLETON.

GRIP FOR CABLE RAILWAY GAR.

No. 387,912. Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

WITNESSES:

A'rromvns.

N. Perms. Fhmwumc n her. Washinglou. n C.

4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. H. PENDLETON. GRIP FOR GABLE RAILWAY CARS.

Patented Aug ATTORNEYS,

Mv PETER$ Pholo-Lilhognphnr. Washington, at;

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

J. H. PBNDLETON GRIP FOR CABLE RAILWAY CARS.

(No Model.)

m VENTO/i Qmkkafim A TTORNEYS Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

WITNESSES.- wdm.

N PETERS. Phcio-Liihcgnpher, Washington. D. C.

(No Model.\ 4 Sheets-Sheet 4;. J. H. PENDLETON.

GRIP FOR CABLE RAILWAY (EARS.

Patented Aug .'14, 1888.

ma a w- MM Xsm. BY 8 ATTORNEYS,

NV PETERS. Phclo-L'nhognp er. Washingicvk nu 2 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

JOHN H. PENDLETON, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE RAPID TRANSIT CABLEcoMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y. I

GRIP FOR CABLE-RAILWAY CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,912, dated August14, 1888.

Application filed December 19, 1887. Serial No. 258,349. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

'Be it known that I, JOHN H. PENDLEToN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Grips for CableRailways, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactspecification.

My invention has for its object a grip which is adapted forautomatically grasping the auxiliary traveling cable and the like,placed at stations and curves throughout the line of elevated or otherroads for the purpose of starting the cars, and also for conveying thesame around curves; and it is also adapted for grasping an endless cableplaced at stations along the line of road while the train is in motion,for overcoming the momentum of the train, and at the same time operatingsuitable mechanism for generating power sufficient to start the trainwhen stopped. Such devices are shown and described in my applicationsfor United States Letters Patent, Serial Nos. 258,345, 258,350, and258,352, (the last-named being an electric device,) filed of even datewith this.

With these ends in view my invention consists in adjustably attaching tothe truck or other convenient place on the car a pair of grip shoes orrunners, which are guyed to the ear-body, and are adapted to permit thetruck from which they are swung to go and come in the act of roundingcurves, and they are provided with cam surfaces bearing upon wheels orrollers mounted in stationary blocks, the said shoes also having aspring or cushion for holding their gripping-surfaces together, so thatwhen the shoes come in contact with both sides of the cable the latterwill have a tendency to draw the shoes in its own direction, and thusclamp them tightly to it by reason of the cam-surfaces wedging betweenthe wheels or rollers.

My invention consists, further, of the novel arrangement of parts forautomatically throwing these shoes out of engagement and for throwingthem into engagement by air apparatus; and it also consists in certainminor features of novelty, all of which will now be described withreference to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of thisapplication, and in which- Figure 1 is an inverted plan of a car-bodyhaving my improvements applied thereto, some of the minor details beingomitted for 5 the sake of clearness. Fig. 2 is a plan of one truckhaving the grip appended to its under side, and showing the operatingmechanism, the car-bodybeing represented by dotted lines. Fig. 3isa sideelevation of the same. Fig.4 is an enlarged detail view of a portion ofa truck, showing the grip and the manner of attaching it. Fig.5 isavertical longitudinal section taken on the line X X, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 isaside elevation of the operating mechanism, partly in 6 section. Fig. 7is a plan of the same. Fig.

8 is a transverse section of the same, taken on the line X X, Fig. 6,and looking in the direction of the arrow. Fig. 9 is a side elevation ofthe valve and operating-levers, partly in 7;) section.

On elevated or other roads where two or more cars are run coupledtogether in a train it is only necessary to employ my grip on the car ateach end of the train, so that when the 7 5 cars are shifted at theterminus of the route the grip which was used on the down trip may beabandoned and the grip at the other end of the train may be operatedduring the up trip, the cable with which these grips engage generallybeing arranged to the same side of the center on both tracks and thegrips of course being arranged on the opposite sides of the center ofthe trucks; but in cases where but one ear is employed it is preferableto 8 have a grip at each end of the car on opposite sides of the trucksand adapted to operate in opposite directions.

1 represents a truck-frame, and 2 2 represent the equalizers on eachside thereof,on the 0 under side of which are bolted cross-bars 3 4.

To these cross-bars and to one side of the ceuter of the truck aresuspended blocks 5 6 by means of bolts 7, which pass through thesecross-bars and through longitudinal slots 8 in 9 5 the blocks, and carrywashers 9 at their lower extremities, upon which the blocks rest. Ateach end of these blocks are links l0 11, in which guys 12 13 aresecured and fastened to the ends of the pivoted levers 14. 15,suspende'dl'O( by brackets 16 17 from the car-body,whereby the blocks are securelyanchored to the latter and at the same time they are permitted to reciprocate upon the truck.

Rll

18 19 are grip-shoes, which are located between the blocks 6 and aresuspended from cross-bars 20, secured to the blocks 5 6 by means ofbolts 21, which pass through the cross-bars and through slots 22 23 inthe gripshoes and carry washers 24, upon which the shoes rest and slide.These shoes are provided on their surfaces adjacent to the blocks 5 6with cams 25 26, which contact with idlerollers 27 28, journaled in theblocks 5 6, and slots 22 23 being formed parallel with the surfaces ofthese cams in each shoe, so that when the shoes are pushed lengthwise,so as to bring the cam-surfaces in contact with the rollers 27 28, theywill be permitted a longitudinal as well as a transverse movement.

The shoes 18 19 are provided at one end with stems 29 30, which aresecurely fastened therein and are provided at their outer extremitieswith .links 31 32, and have coiled thereon between the ends of the shoesand arms 33 34 on the blocks 5 6 spiral springs 35, which bearcontinually against the shoes and tend to force their cam-surfaces inengagement with the rollers, and consequently together. It may be herestated, however, that the shoes are not adjustable vertically like thejaws of many grips for the purpose of causing them to engage the cable,but are fixed on a level with the auxiliary cable belt, which is fullydescribed in my aforesaid applications, and run onto the end, as itwere, of this auxiliary cable belt,where it passes over its pulley andthe shoes seize the cable, supposing it to be at rest by virtue of thefrictional contact between the cable and the traveling grip-shoes, whichcauses the latter to slide backward, and in doing so wedge themselvesbetween the fixed rollers and the cable, and this motion, being impartedto both shoes simultaneously, causing them to move toward eachother,will of course cause them to clamp the auxiliary cable, and itwill also be seen that the greater the inertia between the travelinggrip-shoes and the stationary cable the firmer will be the grasp.

In order that the grip may be capable of automatically running onto theend of the cable longitudinally, as above described, and while it isheld in a closed position by the springs 35, the ends of the shoes 18 19are rounded or runner shape, so that when the cable strikes betweenthese ends it will be guided to the space between the shoes, and therebygradually force them apart and slide therein until the friction producedcauses the shoes to lag behind with the cable and in so doing pinch thelatter, as above described.

' 36 37 are rock'shafts which have projecting upwardly therefrom and ateach end sectors 38 39 and downwardly therefrom similar sectors, 40 41.These rock-shafts are journaled in Y-shaped pieces 42, which have pivots43 journaled in brackets 44 44, which are bolted at 45 to the car-bodyand extend downwardly, so as to bring said shafts on a level with thegrip, whereby the shaft 36 is practically pivoted at its mid-length andat the same time its rocking is permitted. The bracket 44 is providedwith an opening, 45", through which a pitman operates. The surfaces ofthese sectors are grooved for the reception of cables, the sectors 38 39being connected together by cables 46 47, which extend under the truckand above the grip,while the sectors 40 41 on the bottom of the shaftshave cables 48 49 secured at 50 thereto-and to the links 31 32 and 51 52at the ends of the grip-shoes, respectively. By thus connecting thesectors it will be seen that when one of the shafts 36 37 is rocked theother shaft will necessarily rock in unison with it. 7

To the center of the shaft 36, I pivot a lever, 55, by means of a pin,55, which extends transversely through the shaft and through abifurcation, 54, at the end of the lever, which straddles the shaft.This lever extends upwardly between two guide-rails, 56 57, which aresupported at each end by the arms of the bracket 44 for thepurpose oflimiting the oscillations of the lever to a vertical plane. The upperextremity of this lever is provided with a ball, 58, to which thepistonrod 59 is connected by means of a pitman, 60, having a socket, 61,thereon. This arrangement is essential for the reason that when thetruck strikes the curve in the track the grip changes its positionrelatively to the car-body, owing to its being located upon the truck,and, as it is connected both by the rock-shafts 36 37 and the pivotedlevers 14 15 to the car-body, it will of course be seen that theserock-shafts and levers will have to move in unison with the grip; andshould the rock-shaft 36 be otherwise connected than by agimbal-and-socket joint to the piston in the cylinder 62 the lever 55would oscillate sidewise when it should be beyond the vertical positionand the truck should be on the curve, and thus cause damage to theparts, whereas the gimbal-joint which is formed by the bifurcated leverand the pivoted rock-shaft will rock the shaft while the latter is atany angle to the car-body, and at the same time the lever will remain ina vertical plane.

By admitting the pressure to one side of the cylinder it will be seenthat the lever 55 will be pushed forward between the guide-rails 56 57and rock the shaft 36, whose lower sectors, 40, will draw upon thecables 48, compress the springs 35, and draw the narrow portions of thecams 25 26 opposite to the wheels 27 28 and thus release the grip fromthe cable, and when pressure is admitted to the opposite side of thecylinder the lever 55 will be oscillated in the opposite direction andforce the shoes on by pulling upon the cables 49, and thus drawing thewide portions of the cams into contact with the wheels 27 28.

By the mechanism presently to be described it will be seen that theconductor has entire control over the gripshoes and is enabled at anytime to throw them on or off; but in case he should not be at his postor in case his part ICC of the mechanism should fail to act, the shoes Icompensate for the increase in the distance would not be released fromthe traveling chain, belt, or other device employed as a starter whenleaving the station, and consequently create damage to the truck. As asafeguard against this, I provide valve 63, which is located at thejuncture of the two port-pipes 64: 65, the inlet-pipe 66, and theexhaustpipe 67. This valve is provided with a lever, 68, capable ofoperating the valve when oscillated, which projects downward and iscurved outward, so as to engage with a block or cam, 69, on the outsideof the traclerail. The valve-lever is held normally vertical by spiralsprings 70, connected to the inlet and exhaust pipe, and in which normalposition communication with the inlet is entirely shut off. This blockor cam 69 is located nearthe terminus of the auxiliary cable or startershown and described in my aforesaid applications, so that when the carreaches this point the lever 68 will strike the said block and opencommunication between theinlet-pipe and the exhaust-pipe 67, shoving thepiston outwardly and operating the lever 55, which will draw upon thecables 48 and release the shoes from the said auxiliary cable orstarter. As soon as the ,lever 68 has passed over the block 69, thespiral springs will return the same to its normal vertical position andopen communication between the port-pipe 64 and the exhaust-pipe 67,whereupon the compressed air will escape and the springs 35 will forcethe grip-shoes together or toward each other again,and consequentlyforce the piston toward the port 64.

This grip is adapted to grasp the cables automatically on coming intothe station, provided that the cable is in motion; but in case the cableis at rest and it be desired to grasp the cable for the purpose ofsetting it in motion the grip of course will not act automatically, but,to the contrary, will have a tendency to loosen. Therefore, to place theconductor in power to force the grip on by air, I provide anupwardly-extending arm, 71, on the lever 68, which is pivoted to apush-rod, 72, which extends under the car and is connected to anoperating-lever, 73, on the platform or other convenient place on thecar. Thus it will be seen that the conductor is at liberty to force thegrip on and ofi at will; but as soon as he abandons the lever thesprings will automatically return the lever (58 to a vertical position,and consequently close the valve 63 with the inlet 66.

The pivoted levers 14 15 and the pivoted Y- shaped pieces are coupled bymeans of links 7 4, so that these parts will remain parallel andpreventthe grip-shoes and blocks 5 6 from changing their positionsrelatively to each other.

It is essential that there should be a little lost motion in the cables48 4:9, and also in the guys 12 13, so that when the truck rounds thecurve and the ends of the grip-shoes describe an arc in oppositedirections the lost motion in the cables and guys may be taken up tobetween the rock-shafts through the length of the grip-shoes.

The operation of this device may be briefly stated as follows: \Vhen acar approaches a curve in the line where an auxiliary traveling cable,such as described in my aforesaid applications, is continually in motionor the same set in motion by an operator, the main traction-cable (whichI have not shown) is dropped from the main cable-grip, (which is alsonot shown,) and the grip-shoes 18 19 seize the auxiliary chain or cablewhere it runs over the large pulley, (shown and described in myaforesaidapplications,)a1idare forced backward, compressing the springs 35, andslide along the cable until the speed of the car becomes'less than thatof the traveling cable, whereupon the impinging faces of the shoes willbe forced firmly into contact with the cable by the springs, and thefriction produced by the traveling cable upon the faces of the shoeswill cause the latter to travel along with it, allowing the springs torelax and bringing the wide portions of the cam-surfaces in contact withthe wheels 27 28, and producea pressure against the cable which will bein proportion to the strain between the inertia of the cable and that ofthe car. Vhen the lever 68 reaches the cam 69 on the track, the valvewill be opened and the grip-shoes released from the cable, as beforedescribed. Now, when the train is running into a station and the endlesscable is at rest and it is desired to grasp the same for stopping thecar and for operating mechanism for generating power for starting thecar when stopped, the bevel ends of the grip-shoes will receive thecable and allow it to pass through the grip-jaws in the directionopposite to that in which the car is moving, and will not be grasped,but will be permitted to glide through the jaws until the operator seesfit to oscillate the lever73 on the platform and open the valve 63through the medium of the rod 72 and lever 71 and admit pressure throughthe port-pipe 65, whereby the lever 55 will be rocked in the positionshown in dotted lines in 6, and the cables 46, 47, 48, and 49 will drawupon the gripshoes and wedge their cam-surfaces between the rollers 2728, which will tirmly secure the car to the cable and cause the latterto travel over the pulley-wheels in the bed of the track and operate anysuitable mechanism for generating power. The operation of this mechanismwill of course overcome the momentum of the train, and when it isdesired to start the train again the chain this time will be set inmotion, and of course the grip will automatically engage with it.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure byLetters Patent:

1. A pair of grip jaws or shoes anchored to the car-body and adjustablysecured to the car-truck, substantially as set forth.

2. A grip consisting of one or more sliding shoes or jaws having theiradjacent end surfaces beveled or rounded to receive the cable andcam-surfaces and stationary rollers bearing upon said cams,substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, with fixed rollers, of grip-jaws located betweensaid rollers and having their adjacent faces beveled or rounded at theends and inclined or cam surfaces, substantially as'and for the purposesset forth.

4. The combination, with the truck and the car-body, oflongitudinally-adjustable blocks 5 6, secured to the truck and car-body,the rollers 27 28, journaled in said blocks, and the grip-shoes locatedbetween said rollers and having their adjacent end faces beveled orrounded, and inclined or cam surfaces adapted to contact with saidrollers, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination, with the blocks 5 6, of the rollers 27 28, journaledtherein, the gripshoes having inclined or cam surfaces 25 26 and slots22 23, extending parallel with said cam-surfaces,and suspension-boltsinsaid slots, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

. 6. The combination, with the blocks 5 6, of the rollers journaledtherein, crossbars on said blocks, and the grip-shoes having inclined orcam surfaces 25 26, adjustably secured to said cross-bars, substantiallyas set forth.

7. The combination, with the rollers 27 28, havingfixedjournal-bearings,of the grip-shoes located between said rollers andhaving slots 22 23 and cam-surfaces 25 26 in juxtaposition to saidrollers, supports extending through said slots, and springs for forcingsaid cams in engagement with the rollers, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

8. The combination, with the shoes having cam-surfaces 25 26 and slotsextending parallel with said surfaces, of the stems 29 30, secured tosaid shoes, the arms 33 34, and springs between the shoes and said arms,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

9. The combination, with the car-body and with the cross-bars 3 4,secured to the truckframe, of the blocks 5 6, having longitudinal slots,supports secured to the bars 3 4 and extending through the said slots,and cables secured to said blocks and to the car-body, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

10. The combination,with the rollers 27 28, of the shoes 18 19, locatedbetween said rollers and having cams 25 26 and slots parallel with thefaces of said cams, supports for said shoes extending through saidslots, and cables or rods connected to both ends of said shoes forforcing the cams into and out of engagement with the rollers,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The combination, with the truck having the crossbars 3 4, of theblocks 5 6,having longitudinal, slots, bolts extending through saidcross-bars and slots and having washers upon which the blocks rest,pivoted levers secured to the car-body, and cables secured to saidlevers and to the ends of the blocks 5 6, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

12. The combination, with the car-body and the truck, of the blocks 5 6,adjustably secured to the truck, brackets secured to the car-body,levers pivoted to said brackets, and cables secured to said blocks andto the pivoted levers, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination, with the tru'ck, of the shoes 18 19, adj ust-ablysecured thereto, camsurfaces on said shoes, fixed bearings for said camsand between which said shoes are located, springs for forcingsaid camsin contact with their bearings, a pivoted rock -shaft, crank arms orlevers on said shaft, cables connecting said levers with the shoes 1819, and suitable means for rocking said shaft, substantially as setforth.

14. The combination, with the truck, of the shoes 18 19, adj ustablysecured thereto, camfaces on said shoes, fixed bearings for said camsand between which said shoes are located, springs for forcing said camsin contact with their bearings, pivoted rock-shafts, sectors extendingupwardly and downwardly from said shafts, cables connecting the sectorsof one side of the shafts with each other, and cables connecting thesectors of the opposite side with the shoes 18 19, substantially as setforth.

15. The combination, with a rock-shaft, of a pivoted journal bearing inwhich said shaft is mounted,andalever, a pivot extending transverselythrough said shaft and pivoting said lever thereto, substantially as setforth.

'16. The combination of the pivoted piece 42, a rock-shaft mountedtherein, a lever having a bifurcated end straddling said shaft,and apivot extending through said bifurcated end and shaft, substantially asand for the purposes set forth.

17. The combination, with the bracket 44, of the Y-shaped piece 42,pivoted thereto, a rock-shaftjournaled in said piece,a lever having abifurcated end straddling said shaft, a pin extending through saidbifurcation and shaft, and a guide for restricting the oscilla-.

tions of said lever to a vertical plane, substantially as set forth.

18. The combination, with the bracket 44, of the piece 42, pivotedthereto, a rock-shaft journaled in said piece 42, a lever pivoted to thecenter of said shaft, and guide-rails at both sides of said lever forlimiting its oscillations.

19. The combination, with the cylinder having a piston-rod and with thegrip-shoes, of a rock-shaft connected to said grip-shoes and pivoted atits mid-length and a lever attached to said piston-rod and pivoted tosaid rockshaft, substantially as set forth.

J. H. PENDLETON. Witnesses:

HERBERT KNIGHT, F. A. HOPKINS.

